A Framework for Social Needs-Based Medical Biodesign Innovation

Abstract

Objectives Nearly 60% of preventable deaths are caused by unmet needs associated with social determinants of health, which are structural factors that influence health outcomes and contribute to health disparities. This suggests that priority should be placed on developing user-centered medical interventions through social needs-based innovation biodesign to address health disparities among marginalized communities. Methods The innovation biodesign process is an approach to medical innovation that identifies clinical needs followed by solution mapping. This paper establishes a novel framework for social needs-based innovation biodesign that focuses on addressing health disparities. We describe the implementation of this framework using a case example involving ASTHMAXcel, a mobile health application which provides interactive resources for improving asthma knowledge and control in patients from the Bronx, New York City, a borough with a large urban minority population. A fundamental component of this framework includes engaging stakeholders such as patients, industry partners, and clinicians, such as through participatory design sessions. Results The proposed framework is divided into the problem and solution spaces, with an emphasis on iterative refinement. During product testing, a group of 40 adult patients, demographically representative of the Bronx (with majority Hispanic, 52.7%, and non-Hispanic Black, 41.8%, individuals), were found to have asthma control test scores that increased significantly at 2- (p=0.038), 4- (p=0.02), and 6-months (p=0.003) after baseline, highlighting the success of this framework. Conclusions Our approach serves as a call-to-action for the adoption of social needs-based medical innovation biodesign to address unmet clinical needs in marginalized populations.